Post by greyhag on Aug 30, 2005 19:01:40 GMT -5
This weekend I went to the Reading Festival, I was pretty apprehensive but I did have a fun time, will my campsite jollities and gasping at overpriced festival food.
I totally ignored all the 'Reading-type' bands, bypassed the main stage and found some quality acts to watch.
FRIDAY
Saw Do Me Bad Things on the Main Stage. They were alright, but I wasn't aware they have two main male singers, the make-up guy and a gruff hairy man who sings half their stuff. The hairy guy was awful, and the crowd hated the make-up guy.
I couldn't be asked for Goldie Lookin' Chain so we went to the deserted Dance Stage for the rapper Akala. I think he's new, he was alright, kind of like a credible version of Romeo. He made the audience chant and 'bounce' for every song, which was cool. His PR person gave out free CD's and vinyl afterwards, aw, bless.
Got blasted by noise by The Blood Brothers in the Radio 1 stage, walked straight out. Went back in for a really scattily done Death From Above 1979. I don't mind those guys on CD, but live they weren't up to much. We ran into more of our friends in there so we headed over to watch the rest of a very boring Graham Coxon on the Main Stage.
I wasn't looking forward to seeing The Coral but they really weren't half bad. They really fitted the sunny-ness of the Festival. The crowd insisted on moshing to 'In The Morning' though, which I sighed at.
My mates insisted I sat through Queens Of The Stone Age, poor me. That was pretty much a blackout, the next I remember I abandoned them so they could watch The Killers and I went over to the Carling Stage.
Saw Saul Williams, a not too bad American rapper who had really good electro beats. I felt cultural. After he had finished I went over to the Dance Stage and kicked myself since The Audiobullies had already got the crowd into a rave-frenzy. However, I saw them play their two biggest songs including 'Shot You Down', so I was happy.
Charlotte Hatherly was a let-down, such a bore. Bores breed company so the bore from earlier in the day Graham Coxon joined her on stage for a song I didn't see. I went to watch Lemonjelly who I just didn't get at all.
By this stage everyone was watching Pixies as mainstage headliners so it was really quiet. Ladytron played a great set, to around 100 people! I met a friend who I taught the words too and 'Destroy Everything You Touch' and 'Playgirl' were amazing live! They wanted to leave 'Seventeen' till thier finisher, but they overran so they couldn't play it! Bad, naughty Ladytron!
SATURDAY
My friend lost her ticket from the campsite to the wristband office, so got stuck in her tent and wasn't allowed to leave all weekend, so we sorted that out for ages. She still wasn't allowed in, so we just went in without her.
I abandoned my friends very early as they were watching All American rejects. The guy had the most severely annoying voice, but he was so tasty looking I couldn't be too harsh. I went to see Clor instead, who I was dissapointed with actually. The guys voice was less annoying live than on the recording, but they didn't really have prescence.
Met my mates by chance right after Clor, so we went to the Comedy Stage to see some very unfunny comedians whose repetoir was essentialy racism and homophobia.
Our spirits were lifted with a great set from Juliette and The Licks. She's such a great front-woman! Her crowd-surfing in lingire antics really made me forget the fact they essentialy only have one song.
Left for the campsite for a few hours and came back to see the amazingly good be your own PET. The 17 year old blonde frontwoman was ecstatic on stage, she threw up twice and sang one song by screaming in into the ears of the front row. The best crowd of the Festival, it was quite small though.
From one high to another, The Arcade Fire were so good and proffesional it wasn't even funny. Their album never really grew on me, but every one of their songs was fantastic! Reccommends I do.
Saw a boring Kings Of Leon, who I briefly found attractive but now their looking pretty bad. Tried to get into The Raveonettes but it wasn't happening. I chilled a bit before seeing The GO! Team who could have been a bit better if they sorted out the sound vocals on the lead singers voice. Hated The Foo Fighters which left me with a contempt for all people. Ho-Hum.
SUNDAY
I was late up after a completely wild night where I raved to late night Radio One for two hours non-stop, drawing a huge crowd of onlookers. All the dancing left me with a high, meaning I got lost on the way back to my tent. Some cap-wearing twenty-somethings found me on the side of the road in a shivery manner, so they made me sleep in their tent for a few hours. When I got up I realised I was only two tents away from my tent anyway. Thank you rescue people!
I saw a band called The Modern in the Dance Stage, they weren't really all that good, but they really thought they were. Went back to chill with my rescue people for a few hours before seeing an alright VHS Or BETA.
Sons And Daughters were the first actually good band of the day, great beats and rythyms. A bit dark though- "This is a song about a girl who drowns in her bathtub.".
Iggy and The Stooges, who I have an odd love for, were the biggest dissapointment at Reading with their shit set that everyone disliked. We went to see Blackalicious then, who was alright but it was a bit "Look at how fast I can rap, aren't I clever!". Everyone deserted me to go see Incubus, leaving me to see the wonder that was M.I.A. all on my own.
Well, it was out of this world good! First off I get two rows from the front, next to some nice Sloane-y types who I fill in some information for (("It's Bucky-Something-Something, right?")). Then theres like, a dark 'There was a woman called M.I.A' type backing music. She comes out in a white and red cotton jump suit, gorgeous face and hair. She starts with 'Pull Up The People' and goes through a lot of the album, doing one song I think called 'Easy' from 'Piracy Funds Terrorism'. I got some decent pictures and eye-contact from her, thanks Maya hun!
When 'Bucky Done Gun' is about to start she throws around three horns into the audience. Their like, pink and plastic with stencil on them. I catch one first off! Result for me! My high was a bit short lived though when her back up singer and a security guard threw about 200 more of said horns into the audience. Everyone in the front row now has horns, what can she want us to do? 'Bucky Done Gun' starts, and as I'm singing along I realise I have a perfect accompiniment for the horn segment! Along with about 200 people horning in tune, you've got the biggest rave ever at the front getting buck-wild to it. Bli-i-i-ss!
After a few more songs, she tells my Sloaney friend to come up on stage with her. We scream in delight and I start helping her over the barrier. M.I.A. looks and asks "Hey you wanna come up here too?". I haughtily shout 'Yeah!' and I'm climbing over the barrier too. As I'm being assisted by a security guard onto the stage, M.I.A. tells all the girls of the audience to get up! There's pandemonium as around 50 girls start surging for the barriers, but in the end it goes smoothly.
We almost died as 'Galang' started up, and we all shook our jello-thang like there was no tomorrow. My Sloaney friend ((Tamara! Hi Honey!)) did the best 'Galang' dance ever! It was frigging euphoria! WE got a joint hug off M.IA. at the end, and we're let back into the audience to watch the final song of 'URAQT'. As I'm applauding as she leaves, I'm kicking myself as I realise I havent taken any pictures while on stage AND I've dropped my frigging horn on the way over the barrier!
Nothing could compare to that, but Mylo was excellent and the DJ that we danced too for a good few hours was also wicked.
Thank you Reading!
I totally ignored all the 'Reading-type' bands, bypassed the main stage and found some quality acts to watch.
FRIDAY
Saw Do Me Bad Things on the Main Stage. They were alright, but I wasn't aware they have two main male singers, the make-up guy and a gruff hairy man who sings half their stuff. The hairy guy was awful, and the crowd hated the make-up guy.
I couldn't be asked for Goldie Lookin' Chain so we went to the deserted Dance Stage for the rapper Akala. I think he's new, he was alright, kind of like a credible version of Romeo. He made the audience chant and 'bounce' for every song, which was cool. His PR person gave out free CD's and vinyl afterwards, aw, bless.
Got blasted by noise by The Blood Brothers in the Radio 1 stage, walked straight out. Went back in for a really scattily done Death From Above 1979. I don't mind those guys on CD, but live they weren't up to much. We ran into more of our friends in there so we headed over to watch the rest of a very boring Graham Coxon on the Main Stage.
I wasn't looking forward to seeing The Coral but they really weren't half bad. They really fitted the sunny-ness of the Festival. The crowd insisted on moshing to 'In The Morning' though, which I sighed at.
My mates insisted I sat through Queens Of The Stone Age, poor me. That was pretty much a blackout, the next I remember I abandoned them so they could watch The Killers and I went over to the Carling Stage.
Saw Saul Williams, a not too bad American rapper who had really good electro beats. I felt cultural. After he had finished I went over to the Dance Stage and kicked myself since The Audiobullies had already got the crowd into a rave-frenzy. However, I saw them play their two biggest songs including 'Shot You Down', so I was happy.
Charlotte Hatherly was a let-down, such a bore. Bores breed company so the bore from earlier in the day Graham Coxon joined her on stage for a song I didn't see. I went to watch Lemonjelly who I just didn't get at all.
By this stage everyone was watching Pixies as mainstage headliners so it was really quiet. Ladytron played a great set, to around 100 people! I met a friend who I taught the words too and 'Destroy Everything You Touch' and 'Playgirl' were amazing live! They wanted to leave 'Seventeen' till thier finisher, but they overran so they couldn't play it! Bad, naughty Ladytron!
SATURDAY
My friend lost her ticket from the campsite to the wristband office, so got stuck in her tent and wasn't allowed to leave all weekend, so we sorted that out for ages. She still wasn't allowed in, so we just went in without her.
I abandoned my friends very early as they were watching All American rejects. The guy had the most severely annoying voice, but he was so tasty looking I couldn't be too harsh. I went to see Clor instead, who I was dissapointed with actually. The guys voice was less annoying live than on the recording, but they didn't really have prescence.
Met my mates by chance right after Clor, so we went to the Comedy Stage to see some very unfunny comedians whose repetoir was essentialy racism and homophobia.
Our spirits were lifted with a great set from Juliette and The Licks. She's such a great front-woman! Her crowd-surfing in lingire antics really made me forget the fact they essentialy only have one song.
Left for the campsite for a few hours and came back to see the amazingly good be your own PET. The 17 year old blonde frontwoman was ecstatic on stage, she threw up twice and sang one song by screaming in into the ears of the front row. The best crowd of the Festival, it was quite small though.
From one high to another, The Arcade Fire were so good and proffesional it wasn't even funny. Their album never really grew on me, but every one of their songs was fantastic! Reccommends I do.
Saw a boring Kings Of Leon, who I briefly found attractive but now their looking pretty bad. Tried to get into The Raveonettes but it wasn't happening. I chilled a bit before seeing The GO! Team who could have been a bit better if they sorted out the sound vocals on the lead singers voice. Hated The Foo Fighters which left me with a contempt for all people. Ho-Hum.
SUNDAY
I was late up after a completely wild night where I raved to late night Radio One for two hours non-stop, drawing a huge crowd of onlookers. All the dancing left me with a high, meaning I got lost on the way back to my tent. Some cap-wearing twenty-somethings found me on the side of the road in a shivery manner, so they made me sleep in their tent for a few hours. When I got up I realised I was only two tents away from my tent anyway. Thank you rescue people!
I saw a band called The Modern in the Dance Stage, they weren't really all that good, but they really thought they were. Went back to chill with my rescue people for a few hours before seeing an alright VHS Or BETA.
Sons And Daughters were the first actually good band of the day, great beats and rythyms. A bit dark though- "This is a song about a girl who drowns in her bathtub.".
Iggy and The Stooges, who I have an odd love for, were the biggest dissapointment at Reading with their shit set that everyone disliked. We went to see Blackalicious then, who was alright but it was a bit "Look at how fast I can rap, aren't I clever!". Everyone deserted me to go see Incubus, leaving me to see the wonder that was M.I.A. all on my own.
Well, it was out of this world good! First off I get two rows from the front, next to some nice Sloane-y types who I fill in some information for (("It's Bucky-Something-Something, right?")). Then theres like, a dark 'There was a woman called M.I.A' type backing music. She comes out in a white and red cotton jump suit, gorgeous face and hair. She starts with 'Pull Up The People' and goes through a lot of the album, doing one song I think called 'Easy' from 'Piracy Funds Terrorism'. I got some decent pictures and eye-contact from her, thanks Maya hun!
When 'Bucky Done Gun' is about to start she throws around three horns into the audience. Their like, pink and plastic with stencil on them. I catch one first off! Result for me! My high was a bit short lived though when her back up singer and a security guard threw about 200 more of said horns into the audience. Everyone in the front row now has horns, what can she want us to do? 'Bucky Done Gun' starts, and as I'm singing along I realise I have a perfect accompiniment for the horn segment! Along with about 200 people horning in tune, you've got the biggest rave ever at the front getting buck-wild to it. Bli-i-i-ss!
After a few more songs, she tells my Sloaney friend to come up on stage with her. We scream in delight and I start helping her over the barrier. M.I.A. looks and asks "Hey you wanna come up here too?". I haughtily shout 'Yeah!' and I'm climbing over the barrier too. As I'm being assisted by a security guard onto the stage, M.I.A. tells all the girls of the audience to get up! There's pandemonium as around 50 girls start surging for the barriers, but in the end it goes smoothly.
We almost died as 'Galang' started up, and we all shook our jello-thang like there was no tomorrow. My Sloaney friend ((Tamara! Hi Honey!)) did the best 'Galang' dance ever! It was frigging euphoria! WE got a joint hug off M.IA. at the end, and we're let back into the audience to watch the final song of 'URAQT'. As I'm applauding as she leaves, I'm kicking myself as I realise I havent taken any pictures while on stage AND I've dropped my frigging horn on the way over the barrier!
Nothing could compare to that, but Mylo was excellent and the DJ that we danced too for a good few hours was also wicked.
Thank you Reading!
